20030912023029A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 47G-3B-1 · Diamond, OR · September 12, 2003

Date: September 12, 2003 · 09:10 local
Place: Diamond, OR
Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: ARUA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N48020
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA03LA189
Reported as: Bell 47G3B1
Reported engine: Lycoming TVO435*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 25,000 total15,000 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days

N48020Registered now · Bell 47G-3B-1S/N 2812 · Built 1967 Airframe modelBell 47G-3B-1 Engine modelLycoming TVO-435-GIATurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) While herding wild horses with his helicopter, pilot went into a hover at about 40 feet above the ground. All of a sudden the engine wound up to a high RPM and the main and tail rotors became unpowered. The pilot tried to auto rotate to a field but only had time to pull in collective. He hit the ground at a high rate of descent. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The helicopter was taken to the operators main base. A detailed inspection of the helicopter transmission and associated parts will be conducted by FAA airworthiness inspectors and the operator. If a failure of any part is discovered an m or d will be filed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE HERDING WILD HORSES WITH HIS HELICOPTER, PILOT WENT INTO A HOVER AT ABOUT 40 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENGINE WOUND UP TO A HIGH RPM AND THE MAIN AND TAIL ROTORS BECAME UNPOWERED. THE PILOT TRIED TO AUTO ROTATE TO A FIELD BUT ONLY HAD TIME TO PULL IN COLLECTIVE. HE HIT THE GROUND AT A HIGH RATE OF DESCENT. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE HELICOPTER WAS TAKEN TO THE OPERATORS MAIN BASE. A DETAILED INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER TRANSMISSION AND ASSOCIATED PARTS WILL BE CONDUCTED BY FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS AND THE OPERATOR. IF A FAILURE OF ANY PART IS DISCOVERED AN M OR D WILL BE FILED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA03LA189Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportDiamond, ORLoss of engine power for undetermined reasons during hover.Sep 12, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N48020 · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 20021201031599APanaca, NV(-23) While herding wild horses engine lost power at approximately 35 feet AGL in a left turn. Aircraft contacted terrain in a heels low attitude causing the main rotor to contact the tailboom.Dec 1, 2002 · Substantial damage Incident 20001219032869IAutorot Descent (Rotorcraft) · Garrison, UT(-23) While herding horses on a 14 CFR 91 blm contract, approximately 30 miles south of Garrison, Utah, engine decoupled from transmission. The sole occupant pilot autorotated to a clearing and upon touchdown one rotor blade struck a tree, sudden stopping the…Dec 19, 2000 · Minor damage